HOLTE ENDERS paid their fivers, packed themselves in and waited for the Coca Cola romp.

What they witnessed was, indeed, cut-price entertainment.

The scoreline just about conceals a sluggish Villa performance between two goals of high quality that qualified them as the only West Midlands team to reach the third round of the League Cup.

They were, however, perilously close to having an unexpected extra time job to do.

For, as their game slipped deeper into uncharted byways - they were practically in the Everglades after an hour - Oxford suddenly found the will to score an 89th minute equaliser and almost followed it up with another.

Villa appear to have perfected the downbeat finish.

And, having several times recently escaped serious punishment from opposition late goals, they seemed about to pay in a firmer currency when three Oxford players lined up to take a dip at an inviting cross.

Fortunately, Steve Staunton managed to divert David Penney's short-range shot and, the alarm over, Villa promptly scored again.

Kevin Richardson fired past Paul Reece from 20 yards to the delight of the Holte End, who had held out the whole second half for something mentionable to happen directly in front of them.

Villa had been warned about complacency by manger Ron Atkinson.

But they fell head over heels into a trap of their own devising after Dalian Atkinson's acutely judged 12th minute glancing header provoked an instant epidemic of sleep walking.

As Oxford had turned up hoping something would happen rather than than trying to make it, the rest of the first half was as featureless as an acre of grey linoleum.

Only Richardson and Earl Barrett acted with the attacking urgency required if hopes of a resounding fifth consecutive win to be fulfilled.

And even their intent faded as Oxford busied themselves after half-time.

Garry Parker kicked Andrew Melville's downward header off the line and Nigel Spink made an alert save from Penney.

And although Villa always appeared to have fuel to spare, the evidence that they were running too close to the brink was provided by Nick Cusack's goal after untidy work by centre-back were Ugo Ehiogu.

Atkinson's seventh goal of the season was the only pleasing memory he will carry from the game.

Dean Saunders, for all his undoubted effort, did not even have this to console him.

The midfield players were uncertain whether to battle it out with Oxford's toilers or play the Villa aristocrats.